Babies bottle

ABSTRACT

The specification describes babies&#39;&#39; bottles with thermometers mounted in their lids. In accordance with one form of the invention the thermometer is straight and extends downwards from the lid into the container. In accordance with other forms of the invention, the thermometer is arcuate and is enclosed in the lid so as to be visible, for instance, through a transparent cap part of the lid.

United States Patent David Littman Paris, France 768,268

Oct. 17, 1968 Mar. 2, 1971 Gebrimat Trust Reg. Vaduz, Liechtenstein Oct. 31, 1967 Germany Sch 43632 (utility model) Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority BABIES BOTTLE 9 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 215/11, 73/343 Int. Cl. A6lj 9/02 Field ofSearch 215/11- [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,648,226 8/1953 Finch 215/11(.1)X 2,981,108 4/1961 Andersen 2l5/l1(.l)X FOREIGN PATENTS 496,452 11/1933 Great Britain 73/343(2) Primary Examiner-Donald F. Norton Attorney-Sughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Ziinn & MacPeak ABSTRACT: The specification describes babies bottles with thermometers mounted in their lids. In accordance with one form of the invention the thermometer is straight and extends downwards from the lid into the container. In accordance with other forms of the invention, the thermometer is arcuate and is enclosed in the lid so as to be visible, for instance, through a transparent cap part of the lid.

PATENTEUMAR zlsm 3 551,059.

SHEET 2 or 3 BABIES BOTTLE I The present invention relates to babiess bottles that is to say containers for babies food fitted with lids. A large number of different types of such bottles are known. Usually they are made of a glass which is resistant to thermal shock, or of a synthetic resin resistant to heating so that boiling for the purpose of cleaning is possible after use. The standard capacityis usually about 250 ml. In order to check the quantity of liquid drunk by the baby, the bottles are provided with a scale in units of volume or weight, for instance grams or millilitres.

A certain difficulty in the case of the preparation of food for babies lies in the establishment of the correct temperature. As is well known, liquid baby food should have a temperature more orless the same of the human body temperature, atleast in the case of a newly born baby. In order to bring the food to this temperature, use is commonly made of hot water baths or thermostatically controlled heating means which bring the food to the desired temperature of about 36 C. Owing to the low heat conductivity of liquids, it is however not possible to heat the food sufficiently accuratelyto the required temperature using small thermostatically controlled water bathsfrom which, in any case, the top of the bottle projects to a considerable extent. Many mothers and nannies feel that there is a requirement for being able to check the temperature of liquid food in a simple manner after warming it up. The generally adopted method of checking the temperature of the liquid, for instance by feeling the bottle with the hand or placing the bottle in the elbow joint usually does not provide a sufficiently precise indication concerning the temperature of the baby food.

Already proposals have been made to provide babies bottles with a thermometer. Inpreviously proposed constructions the thermometer is arranged in a fixed or removable manner on the wall of the bottle. In the case of an arrangement of the thermometer in such a manner that it cannot be detached from the bottle, the thermometer is fixed in the wall of the bottle by means of glass putty, by welding, or by means of a suitable covering strip. j I

With such previously proposed designs of babies bottles an exact measurement of the temperature of the baby food in the bottle can easily be undertaken.

However in the case of such bottles with a built-in thermometer there is the disadvantage that the thermometer must be so dimensioned that itis not damaged when the bottle is boiled for cleaning. For this purpose it is either necessary to extend the thermometer scale beyond the range coming into question (about 36 C.), so that the graduations must be close together and the accuracy of reading is less, or else the thermometer must have an expansion space into which the indicating medium in it can escape at higher temperatures. In the case of removal thermometers there is the danger that they may be damaged or broken by clumsy handling when removed from the means incasing them on the bottle so that it is then not possible to carry out any temperature measurements with the bottle.

One object of the invention is therefore toprovide a babies bottle which while possessing the advantages of previously proposed bottles having built-in thermometers, is free of the disadvantages mentioned above.

Accordingly the present invention consists in a babies bottle comprising a container, a lid closing an opening at thetop of the container, and a thermometer mounted in the lid. The thermometer can be in the form of a rod whose upper end is fixed in the interior space of the lid. Conveniently thethermometer is held in place by means of an elastic sleeve, moulded on the lid.

Alternatively the thermometer can be in the form of a ring arranged substantially entirely in the lid. The thermometer can be embedded in the lid, the lid being made of synthetic resin material, and the thermometer having its heat-sensing means extending into the interior of the lid.

In accordance with a further optional feature of the invention, the ring thermometer is arranged in a recess, correspond ing to the shape of the thermometer, in the lid, the thermometer being held in place by means of a synthetic resin cap through which the thermometer can be read. The thermometer can be received in an upwardly opening circular recess closed over by a transparent covering means, held in place by means of a projection fitting into an upwardly opening concentric recess.

Although the invention is in particular concerned with lids which simply serve to seal off the interior of the vessel, the invention can also include lids which are provided with means for the attachment of a teat, for instance in the form of a radially symmetrical projection. Such a projection can be fitted on a disc forming part of the lid and extending through a suitable opening in transparent covering means.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention the lid comprises a generally flat part perpendicular to the axis of the lid, a skirt joined to the periphery of the disc, the skirt being provided with a female screw thread extending substantially as far as the disc, the disc being transparent, a further disc screwed into the skirt, and a ring thermometer carried by the second disc so as to be seen through the first disc, the screw thread of the skirt also being adapted to screw on to a male screw thread on the container. The lid can comprise a tubular projection extending outwards from the second disc, being in communication with the interior of the container, passing outwards through the first disc, and serving for receiving a teat. i

In accordance with a furthercmbodiment of the invention there is provided a babies bottle in which the lid comprises a generally cylindrical skirt with an internal screw thread screwed on a neck on the container, the skirt having an inwardly extending lip which overlaps a rim on the neck of the container and is provided with two circular steps with different diameters, a transparent cap fitted over the top of the skirt and abutting against the step with the greater diameter, a ring thermometer resting on the step with the lesser diameter, and a plate held between the neck and the lip, the plate carrying a tubular extension which can be used for carrying a-teat and extending through a hole in the cap.

The construction in accordance with the invention has the advantagethat the thermometer is not fixed to the bottle and can easily be used for checking the temperature of the bottle contents when the bottle is closed, while for cleaning the bottle and for feeding its contents to a baby it can be removed from the bottle.

Thus, the construction according to the invention brings about the additional advantage that one cap including the thermometer can be used for several babies bottles as it is possible to attach such a cap to another bottle if desired. In order to cleanse the cap it issufficient to remove the teat from the cap and to sterilize the teat together with the bottle whereas the cap including the thermometer may be cleaned in usual manner. This is particularly possible if the teat is of the standard, commercially available type having an outwardly extending flange positioned in the interior space of the cap, thereby forming a sealing between the mouth of the bottle and the cap. By this it is achieved that the food comes only into contact with the interior surface of the bottle and of the teat.

As is known, a considerable number of babies bottles have been proposed having a closure which can be removed for fixing the teat in position or are made in two parts so as to allow the insertion of a teat. In the case of a two-part arrangement the construction in accordance with the invention can be such that the thermometer is built into the cap-shaped part of the lid while the closing part of the lid, which is in the form of a nut with an overlapping flange for holding the teat in position after the cap part has been removed, continues to perform its function.

A further advantage of the invention is that in the case of accidental breakage of the glass container part of a bottle in accordance with the invention, the lid can be used with a further glass container, since, as the thermometer is not permanently attached to the bottle, it is not necessarily broken.

Further details of the invention will follow from the ensuing description of specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a babies bottle in accordance with the invention with a thermometer arranged in the lid;

FIG. 2 is a section on the line II-II of FIG. 1',

FIG. 3 is a view from below of the lid in accordance with FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view from above of a lid in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention in which a circular flat thermometer is arranged;

FIG. 5 is a median longitudinal section of the lid or cover of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention with some departures from the embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a median longitudinal section of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a median longitudinal section of the embodiment of the invention differing from the embodiment shown in FIG. 7;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are median longitudinal sections through two further embodiments of the invention in which the thermometer is arranged in the space inside the cover; and

FIGS. 11 and 12 shown a further embodiment.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, a babies bottle comprises a lid 5 and glass container or vessel 1 of hexagonal cross section, with a bottom 2 and a wall having six faces. The two front faces 3 and 4 shown in FIG. 1 are calibrated in grams and ounces.

The lid or cover 5 screwed on the container 1 consists in a known manner of a flat or vaulted disc part 6 and an internally screw-threaded part 7. Providing the lid 5 is made of a suitable elastic synthetic resin material, it can be adapted to snap on the container neck or be held on it by friction instead of being held on by an internal screw thread.

As can be seen from the cross section of FIG. 2, the thermometer 8 is remote from the axis A of the babies bottle. Whatever the shape of the lid the thermometer 8 is arranged as close as possible to the wall of the container 1 so that when the bottle is filled it is possible to read the thermometer in an oblique or horizontal position.

As can be seen from the view of FIG. 3 of the screw lid 5, the thermometer 8 extends into the interior of the lid 5 in a synthetic resin sleeve 9 molded on the cover, the sleeve 9 having an interior surface corresponding to the external surface of the thermometer 8. The mounting of the thermometer 8 in the lid 5 can however be carried out in any other suitable manner.

In order to avoid damage or breakage of the thermometer on removing the lid 5 from the container part of the bottle, the thermometer can be in the form of an annular or ring thermometer 10 as shown in FIG. 4. The thermometer in this case is embedded or set in the synthetic resin material of the lid 11. The insertion of the ring thermometer 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 can be carried out by pressing the thermometer into the synthetic resin material so that it is enclosed on all sides by synthetic resin and only a part of the surface of the bulb 12 of the ring thermometer 10 is exposed to the space 13 in the lid 1 1.

In the case of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the ring thermometer 10 is inserted in recess 15 provided in the top part of the lid 14 and the whole lid is covered over by means of a transparent synthetic resin cap 16 forming part of the lid. In this case the recess 15 can have a through hole bringing the surface of the bulb 12 into direct contact with the space inside the lid.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 8. In this case the lid 17 has an upwardly opening recess 18 receiving the thermometer 10. This space is provided with a transparent lid 19 which is fixed on the annular face of the lid 17 by means of projections 20 locked in a groove in the cover. The attachment can however be carried out by adhesive. In this embodiment of the invention it is only necessary to ensure that the partition 21 of the lid is made as thin as possible in order that heat transfer to the thermometer 10 is not substantially hindered.

Further embodiments of the invention are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 in which the lid 22 is made of transparent synthetic resin material and the thermometer is arranged in a suitable manner in the interior 13. In this case the thermometer can for example be embedded in a plastic disc 26 with an external screw thread, the disc being screwed in the female thread 23 of the lid. In this case, preferably, the cylindrical casing part or skirt 24 provided with a thread is extended so as to be longer than the corresponding part in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 and the inner screw thread 23 is extended so as to come close to the top 25 of the lid 22. The disc can carry the thermometer 10 fixed in it or, in accordance with FIG. 10, it can be in the form of a disc 27 with an upwardly opening recess 28 for the thermometer 10. In this case the disc makes a liquid tight contact with the inner face of the lid.

The embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, in which the ring thermometer 10 is carried either in the synthetic resin disc 26 screwed into the cover or on the disc 27 in the intermediate recess 28 between the synthetic resin disc 27 and the top 25 of the lid 22, can be so made that the top 25 of the lid is provided with a central circular opening through which a central tubular projection on the synthetic resin disc 26 or 27 extends. This tubular projection can be broadened out at its end in the form of an olive in order to plug into a teat.

This feature of the invention with a tubular projection for a teat can also be used for the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 to 8. In the case of these embodiments in accordance with FIGS. 6 to 8 it is necessary to provide that lid cap 16 or 19 with a corresponding circular central opening through which the tubular projection extends.

FIG. 11 shows an exploded view a further, four-part lid in accordance with the invention. FIG. 12 shows it from above. The left-hand side of FIG. 11 is a median longitudinal section while the right-hand side is a view of the external surface. The skirt or sleeve portion 29 of the lid which can be screwed on the bottle is provided with an internal screw thread 30 and has two or shoulders 31 and 32 on a lip extending over the neck of the bottle. The outer narrower shoulder 31 serves for engaging the cylindrical extension 34 of the cap portion 35 of the lid and extends as far as 42, while the other somewhat broader upper shoulder 32 serves for supporting the thermometer 33. This shoulder is provided at its edge with a recess 36 through which, as can be seen from the plan view of the lid shown in FIG. 12, a bent portion of the thermometer 33 extends to position the bulb 37 containing liquid inside the thermometer 33 in the interior 38 of the cover. A nipple comprising a flange carrying the tubular central projection 40 with the olive 41 can be inserted from below in a simple manner into the interior space 38 of the skirt 29 until the flange 39 abuts against the circular face or lip 42 under the step 32.

On the lid there is a scale to indicate degrees of temperature, the temperature of 36 C. to be aimed at being provided with a large mark 43. In order to ensure that the cap 35 is aligned in the correct angular position with the cover skirt 29, the two parts are provided with a projection 44 and cooperating recess 45.

Various modifications can be made in the forms of the invention shown. Thus, for example, in order to ensure that there is a good contact between the thermometer and the contents of the bottle on shaking, the thermometer can be mounted on the bottom side of the lid so that the temperature can be readily read from the top of the lid, that is to say from outside.

I claim:

1. A temperature-sensing baby bottle cap assembly comprising:

1 a lid member adapted to be securedover the open top of a baby bottle, said lid member comprising a top wall of transparent material; I an arcuate-shaped thermometer mounted within said vlid member with the thermometer bulb in direct communication with the interior space of said lid member; and means on' said lid member'for removably retaining said thermometer in a position adjacent said transparent top wall so as to enable said thermometer to be easily read from the exterior of said lid member.

2. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the lid defines an internal space adapted to'receive part of said bottle, and the lid comprises upper and lower portions, the lower portion comprising a wall disposed beneath and spaced from said top wall, said lower portion wall being parallel to said top wall, a recess in the lower portion in which said thermometer is mounted, and the upper portion comprising said transparent top wall for inspection of the thermometer through it.

3. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which there is a hole in the lower portion through which the thermometer extends to position the bulb of the thermometer in communication with the interior space of the lid.

4. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which the upper lid portion is a transparent cap with a downwardly extending skirt portion fitting around the'lower portion of the lid.

5. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a male projection which extends downwardly from the under surface of the upper lid portion, and a recess in the upper surface of the lower lid portion for receiving said projection.

6. A cap assembly in accordance with claim I in which the lid comprises the following components: an internally threaded sleeve adapted to fit around part of the bottle, the sleeve having an inwardly projecting upper lip and having a first upwardly facing peripheral shoulder, a nipple, and a cap comprising said transparent wall fitting over the thermometer, said cap having an opening through which said nipple extends.

7. A cap assembly in accordanee'with claim 6 in which said nipple comprises a flange which is arranged to be held down by said lip against the bottle.

8. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 7 in which in its upper portion the sleeve has a second upwardly facing shoulder positioned within and concentric to said first shoulder, said first shoulder being arranged to have the cap resting against it while the said second shoulder is arranged to carry the thermometer, the lid further comprising an upwardly extending tubular projection inwardly, delimiting the second shoulder and arranged to extend up as far as said cap, the thermometer having a bent portion extending through an opening through said tubular projection.

9. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the lid comprises a skirt joined to the periphery of the top wall and having a female screw thread extending substantially as far as the top wall for screwing on a part of the bottle, a disc having exterior threads screwed into the skirt, said thermometer being carried by the disc so as to be seen through the top wall. 

1. A temperature-sensing baby bottle cap assembly comprising: a lid member adapted to be secured over the open top of a baby bottle, said lid member comprising a top wall of transparent material; an arcuate-shaped thermometer mounted within said lid member with the thermometer bulb in direct communication with the interior space of said lid member; and means on said lid member for removably retaining said thermometer in a position adjacent said transparent top wall so as to enable said thermometer to be easily read from the exterior of said lid member.
 2. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the lid defines an internal space adapted to receive part of said bottle, and the lid comprises upper and lower portions, the lower portion comprising a wall disposed beneath and spaced from said top wall, said lower portion wall being parallel to said top wall, a recess in the lower portion in which said thermometer is mounted, and the upper portion comprising said transparent top wall for inspection of the thermometer through it.
 3. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which there is a hole in the lower portion through which the thermometer extends to position the bulb of the thermometer in communication with the interior space of the lid.
 4. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 in which the upper lid portion is a transparent cap with a downwardly extending skirt portion fitting around the lower portion of the lid.
 5. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a male projection which extends downwardly from the under surface of the upper lid portion, and a recess in the upper surface of the lower lid portion for receiving said projection.
 6. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the lid comprises the following components: an internally threaded sleeve adapted to fit around part of the bottle, the sleeve having an inwardly projecting upper lip and having a first upwardly facing peripheral shoulder, a nipple, and a cap comprising said transparent wall fitting over the thermometer, said cap having an opening through which said nipple extends.
 7. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 6 in which said nipple comprises a flange which is arranged to be held down by said lip against the bottle.
 8. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 7 in which in its upper portion the sleeve has a second upwardly facing shoulder positioned within and concentric to said first shoulder, said first shoulder being arranged to have the cap resting against it while the said second shoulder is arranged to carry the thermometer, the lid further comprising an upwardly extending tubular projection inwardly delimiting the second shoulder and Arranged to extend up as far as said cap, the thermometer having a bent portion extending through an opening through said tubular projection.
 9. A cap assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the lid comprises a skirt joined to the periphery of the top wall and having a female screw thread extending substantially as far as the top wall for screwing on a part of the bottle, a disc having exterior threads screwed into the skirt, said thermometer being carried by the disc so as to be seen through the top wall. 